PERSPECTIVES

Nature is his kingdom; digital is his domain. Meet Fjord’s John Frémont.

See how Fjord’s John Frémont creates mind-blowing, yet natural, digital experiences for the world’s leading brands.

How long have you been with Accenture?I joined Accenture last summer as part of Accenture Interactive’s acquisition of Chaotic Moon, where I was the Chief Revenue Officer. Chaotic Moon, a creative technology studio transforming business for the world’s biggest brands by designing and delivering software products and digital experiences of consequence, is now part of Fjord, the design and innovation unit of Accenture Interactive.

Tell us about your role at AccentureMy skills are around strategy and evangelizing what we do. I communicate the benefits of digital product creation to our clients. I explain our process and the value delivered through digital products and experiences.

Within Fjord, I am the global lead for the strategy, design and development of digital product creation across a 22-studio footprint. I’m not a designer or a developer, but I understand how these things work and have some really talented people who can make it all happen.

What sparked your interest to work in digital?I’ve always been interested in technology, but I didn’t really get into it until my very early 20’s.

“I wanted a cutting-edge computer, but I couldn’t afford a top-of-the-line brand, so I decided to build one. It became a personal hobby that eventually bled into my business life.”

Tell us about your first business venture My first technology-focused business was with a friend, and we bought a title company for oil and gas records going back to land patent. At the time, and still in many counties, landmen thumb through hand-written records to see who owns the oil, gas or other minerals under the surface. Our goal was to digitize all of these documents to create online accessibility to records, so landmen and resource companies could access the documents more easily.

What industry trend do you have your eye on this year—and why is it catching your attention?Robotics is a trend that has really sparked my interest. Robotics is, of course, a very broad term, but I believe that it’s a market that is burgeoning under the surface and accelerating faster than anyone realizes. I just saw a homemade robot that plants a garden, identifies weeds and pulls them, knows how much water the garden needs—and when. I want one, but my wife thinks it’s crazy.

Are you as connected at home as you are at work? Professionally, I am hyper connected, but personally, I am nearly off the grid. I need moments in my personal life to reflect and connect on a human level. I live on almost six acres outside of town; I have goats and chickens. So on-demand services are my personal consumption habit—for food, wine, household goods, and more. We have a beautiful environment, and thanks to these services, we never need to leave.

But no matter where I am, I’m always thinking about the human experience. I want digital to know me, understand me as a husband, a father and a digital employee.

Are your kids just as connected as you are?Even though I’ve spent the last decade building the most natural digital experiences, my kids don’t have phones, they don’t have tablets. I believe at their age they need to interact, have conversations, exercise and be outside. There will be plenty of time later in life to stare at a screen.

Which personal achievement do you value the most?My four kids, without a doubt. They are amazing. I’m shocked because I never thought I’d have kids.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?The best advice I’ve received was to never run from something, run to something. If you’re running away, you should reconsider. I think of it in a professional sense. People always think the grass is greener on the other side, but in your career, much like in business, you should invest in fixing what isn’t working.